Scientists and Code: Programming as a Tool

Caroline Palma Berger; Matthew Christian Demuth Lutze; Niklas Elmqvist; Magnus Madsen; Clemens Nylandsted Klokmose

Scientists and Code: Programming as a Tool

Caroline Palma Berger, Matthew Christian Demuth Lutze, Niklas Elmqvist, Magnus Madsen, Clemens Nylandsted Klokmose

Institut for Datalogi

Publikation: Konferencebidrag › Paper › Forskning › peer review

Abstract

Many scientists use programming to analyze their data. In this paper, we explore the computational ecosystem of scientists and their socio-technical system of computing through a human-centered approach. By employing contextual inquiry techniques with nine scientists drawn from fields such as theoretical physics, biomedical science, and entomology, we learned that programming is a tool for scientists, and as such the output is more important than the code itself. We found that during analysis, scientists often write code to create plots, and then compare these plots to assess the match of output to their expectation. Participants used ChatGPT while coding. We also found that scientists’ programming tools and practices often limit their analysis. Finally, based on a combined human-computer interaction and programming language analysis, we identify drivers and blockers of scientists’ work. Our findings uncover opportunities for the design of programming tools and languages.

Originalsprog	Engelsk
Publikationsdato	2024
Status	Udgivet - 2024
Begivenhed	PLATEAU: 14th annual workshop on the intersection of HCI and PL - University of California, Berkeley, USA Varighed: 19 feb. 2024 → …

Konference

Konference	PLATEAU
Lokation	University of California
Land/Område	USA
By	Berkeley
Periode	19/02/2024 → …

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https://kilthub.cmu.edu/articles/conference_contribution/Scientists_and_Code_Programming_as_a_Tool/25587726?backTo=/collections/PLATEAU_2024/7093870Licens: CC BY

Citationsformater

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title = "Scientists and Code: Programming as a Tool",

abstract = "Many scientists use programming to analyze their data. In this paper, we explore the computational ecosystem of scientists and their socio-technical system of computing through a human-centered approach. By employing contextual inquiry techniques with nine scientists drawn from fields such as theoretical physics, biomedical science, and entomology, we learned that programming is a tool for scientists, and as such the output is more important than the code itself. We found that during analysis, scientists often write code to create plots, and then compare these plots to assess the match of output to their expectation. Participants used ChatGPT while coding. We also found that scientists{\textquoteright} programming tools and practices often limit their analysis. Finally, based on a combined human-computer interaction and programming language analysis, we identify drivers and blockers of scientists{\textquoteright} work. Our findings uncover opportunities for the design of programming tools and languages.",

keywords = "end-user programming, programming practices, tool design, contextual inquiry",

author = "Berger, {Caroline Palma} and Lutze, {Matthew Christian Demuth} and Niklas Elmqvist and Magnus Madsen and Klokmose, {Clemens Nylandsted}",

year = "2024",

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note = "PLATEAU : 14th annual workshop on the intersection of HCI and PL ; Conference date: 19-02-2024",

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TY - CONF

T1 - Scientists and Code: Programming as a Tool

AU - Berger, Caroline Palma

AU - Lutze, Matthew Christian Demuth

AU - Elmqvist, Niklas

AU - Madsen, Magnus

AU - Klokmose, Clemens Nylandsted

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Many scientists use programming to analyze their data. In this paper, we explore the computational ecosystem of scientists and their socio-technical system of computing through a human-centered approach. By employing contextual inquiry techniques with nine scientists drawn from fields such as theoretical physics, biomedical science, and entomology, we learned that programming is a tool for scientists, and as such the output is more important than the code itself. We found that during analysis, scientists often write code to create plots, and then compare these plots to assess the match of output to their expectation. Participants used ChatGPT while coding. We also found that scientists’ programming tools and practices often limit their analysis. Finally, based on a combined human-computer interaction and programming language analysis, we identify drivers and blockers of scientists’ work. Our findings uncover opportunities for the design of programming tools and languages.

AB - Many scientists use programming to analyze their data. In this paper, we explore the computational ecosystem of scientists and their socio-technical system of computing through a human-centered approach. By employing contextual inquiry techniques with nine scientists drawn from fields such as theoretical physics, biomedical science, and entomology, we learned that programming is a tool for scientists, and as such the output is more important than the code itself. We found that during analysis, scientists often write code to create plots, and then compare these plots to assess the match of output to their expectation. Participants used ChatGPT while coding. We also found that scientists’ programming tools and practices often limit their analysis. Finally, based on a combined human-computer interaction and programming language analysis, we identify drivers and blockers of scientists’ work. Our findings uncover opportunities for the design of programming tools and languages.

KW - end-user programming

KW - programming practices

KW - tool design

KW - contextual inquiry

M3 - Paper

T2 - PLATEAU

Y2 - 19 February 2024

ER -

Scientists and Code: Programming as a Tool

Abstract

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